Whistler bombing probe draws RCMP special teams

The RCMP has brought in specialized teams in a bid to catch up with whoever tried to kill two men with explosives in Whistler, B.C., last month.

The two men had been camping in an RV in a public parking lot in Whistler for about a week when someone detonated explosives in an apparent attempt to kill them on Jan. 16.

Each of the victims suffered minor injuries in the blast, but it was no accident, said RCMP Chief Supt. Janice Armstrong.

"I can tell you the two people who were targeted are known to police," Armstrong said Monday. "The incident is believed to be gang related."

Armstrong said the RCMP's criminal operations office has taken over the case and brought in the combined forces special enforcement unit, the explosives disposal unit, the integrated forensic identification services and several other specialized teams.

The use of explosives is particularly troubling, Armstrong said, and police cant rule out the possibility there's more out there in the wrong hands.

"As you might imagine, any theft of explosives is tracked by the police agencies and we share that information," Armstrong said.

The RCMP is appealing for anyone who has information about the attempted homicide or the explosives to come forward.

"Whether they have heard of people maybe in possession of explosives, whether they have seen something, we would certainly be interested in speaking with them," said Armstrong.